Blackburn Rovers head coach Valérien Ismaël has defended Super Eagles forward Emmanuel Dennis following his red card in their 1-1 draw against Norwich City.
Dennis, who is on a six-month loan from Nottingham Forest, endured a frustrating home debut at Ewood Park, lasting less than 30 minutes before being sent off.
The 27-year-old has struggled for regular game time since joining Rovers, but Ismaël introduced him in the 62nd minute, hoping he could provide an attacking spark.
However, just five minutes after coming on, Dennis received a yellow card for a foul on Norwich’s Benjamin Chrisene.
In the 85th minute, he was booked again after attempting to clear a low cross but colliding with the Norwich defender, leading to his dismissal.
Dennis shakes hands with Valerien Ismael, Manager of Blackburn Rovers, after being sent off against Norwich City. (Photo by Matt McNulty/Getty Images)
This marks the second time Dennis has been sent off against Norwich, having previously seen red while playing for Watford.
Despite the setback, Ismaël stood by his player, emphasizing that the decision was unfortunate.
“In the second half, the red card changed everything. I think we switched, we had momentum, and the red card happened, and we conceded, but with five minutes to go, we were able to come back with something, and it feels like a win.
“This is the mentality we need. A no-regret attitude,” Ismaël told the club’s official website.
On the incident itself, he added: “We gained more freshness and energy when we made the change, but then we got the red card. From my side, what I saw, he [Dennis], didn’t really touch him [defender].
“He wanted to play the ball, to compete for the ball, but that happened. It is what it is. We are ready to deal with these situations.”
With the draw, Blackburn sit seventh in the EFL Championship, level on points with sixth-placed West Bromwich Albion as they push for a playoff spot.
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